Top 3 HealthLeaders Supply Chain Stories of 2021

Find out how leaders in the healthcare supply chain are tackling the toughest challenges in their field.

Tense supply chains have been a major concern this year, and HealthLeaders has been tracking developments in the healthcare system’s supply chain.

Here are three of the top healthcare supply chain articles published by HealthLeaders in 2021:

1. Supply chain strategies needed: fewer elective procedures, higher costs

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenge for health systems in many ways. But even supply chain leaders who are firmly entrenched in their roles have learned lessons that will improve their operations for years to come. LeAnn Born, vice president of supply chain at M Health Fairview is one such leader. Born has been the head of the supply chain for this Minneapolis-based healthcare system since 2010, responsible for the supply chain at eight hospitals, more than 40 primary care clinics, and outpatient services such as care transportation. health.

Born says healthcare systems need to identify their top supply chain leaders to drive rapid decision-making, focus on product standardization, engage physicians at the right time, and support them with information on changes in health. supply chain, and use the data to monitor contract compliance and benchmarks.

2. Robotics, drones and centralized purchasing: how the Houston Methodist is changing the supply chain

When David Peck arrived at Houston Methodist in 2018, there was no central purchasing. Each entity in the health system bought its own goods. Peck, vice president of supply chain management, centralized all purchasing at the corporate level, delegating them into modules: the OR buyers. Buyers of laboratories. General medico-surgical buyers. Etc.

Peck says health systems should standardize products and renegotiate contracts to increase savings, compare the cost of purchasing equipment like beds versus renting, and working with local partners to make essential products. in order to reduce dependence on other countries.

3. How a supply chain leader borrows automotive factory concepts for a healthcare system

While Hal Mueller had briefly worked in the healthcare industry before, most of his corporate life was spent purchasing at Ford Motor Company. Auto parts are not health care supplies, but there are some similarities. He brings this perspective to his work as director of supply chain at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center. “In some ways, there are parts of the business world where healthcare is increasingly becoming closer to a manufacturing environment,” he says. “We say variation is the enemy of quality. We like to optimize the variation; it is not about minimizing the variation. “

Mueller says healthcare systems should use the 2-bin Kanban method to understand product cycle time and avoid product expiration, bring in clinical partners to help assess and make procurement decisions , and analyze and renegotiate supplies in cycles.